Another of my degree projects was this handmade and hand embroidered jumper. It was a project about memory and nostalgia, the words are from my diaries when I was 16. Like a memory quilt, it’s basically a memory keeping exercise.

I plan to post allot more work by blogging students. They are the future, and it amazes everyone how talented some people really can be. Have you come across anything so beautiful by someone so young? Maybe even yourself….

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(1. How Much For This Room?, 2. How Much For This Room?, 3. Sugarloop, 4. Happy Weekend!, 5. Lula, 6. Rie Elise Larsen, 7. Lapin & Me, 8. Kelly Rae Roberts, 9. Kelly Rae Roberts, 10. Kelly Rae Roberts, 11. Bed of Flowers B&B, 12. Andrea Cobb, 13. Sewing Green, 14. Sewing Green, 15. Lovely new photos from Ez, 16. Marie Claire Maison, 17. Marie Claire Maison, 18. Marie Claire Maison, 19. Step 1: Lay It Out, 20. Hadley Hutton, 21. il_fullxfull.64574428, 22. Stylist Jeanne Botes, 23. Stylist Jeanne Botes, 24. Photographer Nato Welton, 25. Nymphenburg USA {new}, 26. Nymphenburg USA {new}, 27. Happy Weekend!, 28. cherished china & books, 29. Jennifer Murphy, 30. Jennifer Murphy, 31. Paris Made By Hand, 32. Katie Runnels, 33. Tif Fussell, 34. Tif Fussell, 35. Stylist Q & A With Pia Jane Bijkerk, 36. Stylist Q & A With Pia Jane Bijkerk)

I have to admit. I’ve been surrounded by quite allot of premature midlife crisis lately- including my own. Of course the traditional ‘just got out of college and don’t know what to do with myself’ syndrome is more than allowed, but I, and many others, are way past that point. Its almost as if this new generation are the most insatiable yet. The most easily depressed. The most likely to lose their way….

Starting a magazine, whether successful or not, is a dream come true. But I’ll always feel as though it’s never fully appreciated the way only I can appreciate it. Does that make sense? Don’t you ever work so hard on something- maybe a handmade headpiece or screen printed postcard- only to ship it off and wonder if when it arrives it made any indent in that person’s life? Melodramatic, I know. But really, I think we all try to reinvent ourselves at least 9 times, like we are cats or something! Well, I am at that phase too. I’ve decided it time to finally stop listening to what society taught me and do what I feel in my heart. I’m tired of wasting away a life’s savings at America’s most greedy private schools or getting fired at jobs that mistreated me anyway. I want to travel the world and experience new cultures, foods, arts! The magazine will come with me wherever I go, but I also have a budding passion inside me that will explode if I don’t let it loose, and it is….wait for it….wait…to bake cupcakes!! Yes, yes, predictable knowing me and DUJOUR right?

So anyway, I promise no more diary entry-type posts. But I had to get that out and share a little treat I found a while back. The most inspiring blog in a long time. Nothing fancy, no millionaires, no inventors, no one saving lives. Sometimes its just a simple gal across the seas sharing her story and it can make you feel so warm inside, like you have a best friend you never knew about. Well, her name is Sheryl, and her blog is HERE. Sheryl lives in Australia and recently lost her job. She is now deciding to make all engines a go on her cupcakery dream, and it couldn’t be more in tune with my life story as well. She is the sweetest sounding lady, and I wish her the absolute best. I read her whole archives; I suggest you do the same. I don’t expect you want a cupcake business too, but I do suspect if you are reading this particular post, you won’t mind drooling over her pictures at the least. So enjoy. Here is our honorable cupcake of the day!

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All I want to do is play dress up with my friends and a Polaroid camera.

Check out more cute clothes here.

Lately, I’ve been waking up daily to a sweet cup of green tea with lemon. Nothing fancy, but a warm start to my day indeed. As I’m on the verge of yet another home decor binge, I find it time to finally fulfill my dream of a kitchen brimming with dainty tea sets. Floral tea pots here, doily patterned saucers there. Even better would be if they were all vintage, rescued from the trenches of a rustic flea market. That way while sipping my morning tea, I could fantasize the tales of each little cup’s past adventures….

Have you come across precious little tea sets? Do share!

A fool is an old-school British dessert of mashed or pureed fruit folded into whipped cream. That’s it. I’m not even kidding. Sweeten it to taste and add a splash of liqueur or eau-de-vie if you’re so inclined, but that is it. But like so many brilliantly simple dishes, most people wouldn’t guess - and may not even believe - that that’s all there is to it.

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I used to be in love with all things bohemian and decaying, all things scruffy and slightly falling to pieces but still charmingly beautiful. But lately it’s everything soft and feminine and french and whimsical that’s catching my eye. Pick me some roses and give me some pearls and we’ll be friends forever!

It’s that time again. The weather gets sticky, breezy, humid, hot. But a real DUJOUR girl knows climate is of no concern. She is busy churning away at THE calendar. Which calendar you might ask? Well, silly rabbit, the flea markets galore. Right here in NYC alone there are already a handful we could name. Need a 70s revival coffee table? Head to Brooklyn Flea. Yearning for some live music, German sausages and a few vintage blazers while you’re at it? Hell’s Kitchen has got you covered.

But what about hidden gems around the world! We need the help of all our DUJOUR gals and guys to roundup their fave local fleas. All suggestions will be included in our upcoming summer blazin ANNIVERSARY issue and you will be credited of course. Make sure to include your blog link of choice at the end of your comment.

So, what are your fave local fleas!?

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Do we really need words? Oh Balmain, you warm our hearts…

…find a reason to invite the girls over for a game of cards. Bullshit, Uno, maybe a little Strip Poker if you’re feelin dirty. Snatch up the cutest floral table cover you can find, get to the kitchen and whip up summer’s fave finger foods and a nice beverage to ease it all down (try this one), and tell the gals to be ready for full on gossip sessions. Its summer after all; what would you rather be doing? Playing Solitaire? Haha, we don’t think so!